[Albion] How’s Everyone’s Mood Today?

[Icy Gull]

I’ve just read a report in the Argus that states Chris Hughton has warned the “regulars” to look over their shoulders. Good, if that is the case. The threat, perceived or not, hopefully will focus every player’s mind who were so poor on Saturday. I just hope Chris is positive for the Man Utd game and plays Bissouma and Jahanbakhsh from the start.

Worrying that they even need to focus after just one game, that team did not look like one pulling together to me. I understood what CH gave last year’s players the chance but most of them blew it and as we have the players waiting to replace them, that’s exactly what should happen imo. Let them ponder their lacklustre attitude and performance from the bench, if they even make it.

 

[Lower West Stander]

But wingers don’t just go to the byline...

And strikers don’t have to be just target men, but they each have individual characteristics that make them suited to specific team roles. For example, Locadia has stated he isn’t particularly good at heading a ball... what would be the point in having wingers on their correct side, thus making them more predictable, and then having them get to the byline to loop in crosses for someone like a Locadia who can’t head it?...

Just from a tactical perspective, it makes little sense.

Sorry but signing a striker who can’t head the ball when we always play with 2 wingers doesn’t make a lot of sense to me....


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[Brovion]

Except it was one of those games where 1 or more points was half expected. They're the points we should be aiming for. Yesterday looked pretty aimless in all departments-players, manager, coaching.

Yes, it was the first of 38 but I would be feeling a lot better with at least a point from a fellow 'relegation candidate' as per pre-season predictions.

Indeed. I thought the very worst that would happen is that we'd lose a close game. By the sound of it we got absolutely stuffed - by Watford. Not Many City - Watford. I wasn't there (and I can't bring myself to watch the MOTD) highlights, so I'm hoping that the "we were utter shit" posts are a little bit OTT.

 

[zefarelly]

Far from OTT, I watched a live stream, saw replays and highlights, lowlights actually, then watched MOTD Sun am in case I saw something incorrectly. We played like pissed pensioners on acid. I thought Huddersfield at home last season was bad, this was mid 90's Goldstone standard. The result doesn't matter, but the overall attitude and performance was relegation standard.

CH needs to act hard and fast.

Indeed. I thought the very worst that would happen is that we'd lose a close game. By the sound of it we got absolutely stuffed - by Watford. Not Many City - Watford. I wasn't there (and I can't bring myself to watch the MOTD) highlights, so I'm hoping that the "we were utter shit" posts are a little bit OTT.

 

[Tokyohands]

Not bad for a Monday thanks for asking,considering I had to get up for the loo twice in the night as I'd knocked back quite a few beers in the evening. My youngest also woke up crying about 6am which was uncalled for but the day has been OK. Don't ask about the football though.

 

[Icy Gull]

Sadly, they’re not

 

[el punal]

Worrying that they even need to focus after just one game, that team did not look like one pulling together to me. I understood what CH gave last year’s players the chance but most of them blew it and as we have the players waiting to replace them, that’s exactly what should happen imo. Let them ponder their lacklustre attitude and performance from the bench, if they even make it.

Well said. In a recent interview Tony Bloom alluded to the fact that if you stand still in the Premier League you’re in trouble. He hasn’t, the club hasn’t, the recruitment team hasn’t. Unfortunately on Saturday the players (most) did. Despite Hughton’s calm and dignified exterior in public I bet in private he is absolutely seething after that performance. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he’s already sharpened the proverbial knife and threatened some of the team with it, or maybe even used it. When the team sheet comes out next Sunday it will make interesting reading. If it’s the “same old” I will expect, no, demand, a huge improvement. If it includes the new kids on the block then I’ll be anticipating a game to savour.

 

[dazzer6666]

Well said. In a recent interview Tony Bloom alluded to the fact that if you stand still in the Premier League you’re in trouble. He hasn’t, the club hasn’t, the recruitment team hasn’t. Unfortunately on Saturday the players (most) did. Despite Hughton’s calm and dignified exterior in public I bet in private he is absolutely seething after that performance. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he’s already sharpened the proverbial knife and threatened some of the team with it, or maybe even used it. When the team sheet comes out next Sunday it will make interesting reading. If it’s the “same old” I will expect, no, demand, a huge improvement. If it includes the new kids on the block then I’ll be anticipating a game to savour.

This is where I am - only good thing to come out of that debacle on Saturday could be that it's a massive wake-up call for CH and more importantly a few of the players. We really were utter garbage - as bad as any of the away performances last season - so, so disappointing after all the pre-season positivity. Would love to see Ali J and Bissouma starting, and either Andone (back in training today apparently),Hemed or Locadia up front.

We'll beat United now of course. It's the way we do things.

 

[Napper]

Moods ok today. Bit of a kick in the bollocks though but as soon as saw the team knew deep down what was lilkely to follow.

Yeah we will probably lose Sunday but if we have some fire in our belly and a few moments of quality then that will be enough to lift the gloom.

Need Andone to be decent and need him to be in this side ASAP.

Hope CH is bold

 

[Jack Straw]

We got a point and should have had 3 at Watford last year, this year soundly beaten. A backwards step.

First game of last season, we lost 0 - 2. Exactly the same again this season, hence in the same position. OK, it was Watford this season and Man City last, but I'm looking for positives! Feel much better this morning having seen us leap up the table after yesterday's results.

 

[casbom]

CH is saying the right things this morning in the Argus, so hopeful the message is loud and clear to the players who have the shirt at the moment. No doubt they'll get a chance to redeem themselves on Sunday, so it'll be interesting to see how they get on.

One other thing I noticed (whilst watching a brilliant (HD) stream which only buffered once or twice) was that when AJ came on he was very direct which was great to see, however our midfield aren't on the same wavelength yet.

If you look at his highlight reels from AZ you'll notice that he passes to midfield and then he is off like a rocket down the wing when invariably the midfielder he passed to would find him with a pass and he was in on goal or set up a chance.

On Saturday when he passed to Stephens (I think), he shot down the wing but Stephens had turned to his left and passed out to the other wing leaving AJ a frustrated figure, especially when he was in acres of space so would have had time to get into the box.

We need to be mindful of the runs that AJ makes as the season progresses.

 

[Southern Scouse]

“Woke up this morning feeling fine,
There’s something special on my mind”
Chris will sort it....:

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Sorry but signing a striker who can’t head the ball when we always play with 2 wingers doesn’t make a lot of sense to me....


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That's what I said... Having out and out wingers doesn't make sense if you're not going to have someone centrally that they can aim at.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

CH is saying the right things this morning in the Argus, so hopeful the message is loud and clear to the players who have the shirt at the moment. No doubt they'll get a chance to redeem themselves on Sunday, so it'll be interesting to see how they get on.

One other thing I noticed (whilst watching a brilliant (HD) stream which only buffered once or twice) was that when AJ came on he was very direct which was great to see, however our midfield aren't on the same wavelength yet.

If you look at his highlight reels from AZ you'll notice that he passes to midfield and then he is off like a rocket down the wing when invariably the midfielder he passed to would find him with a pass and he was in on goal or set up a chance.

On Saturday when he passed to Stephens (I think), he shot down the wing but Stephens had turned to his left and passed out to the other wing leaving AJ a frustrated figure, especially when he was in acres of space so would have had time to get into the box.

We need to be mindful of the runs that AJ makes as the season progresses.

That's not surprising. We've always been very slow at working the ball out to the sides and isolating wide players against the opposition full backs. It's a large part of the reason Izquierdo struggled to adapt initially, and why he looked so frustrated at times last season. The better we get at switching play quickly, the more he and AJ will thrive.

 

[OzMike]

Who would have thought that moral would need boosting after the first game of the season for gods sake.

 

[Brovion]

Who would have thought that moral would need boosting after the first game of the season for gods sake.

Yeah, I hear what you're saying and you're right of course. It was just that we were all so excited what with all the new signings that perhaps we got a bit carried away; I certainly did. For me my fretful mood is more the come-down rather than relegation panic setting in ridiculously early. After all as other have pointed out we were shit away at WBA and in both games against Hudds last season. And not all the new boys featured, and two of the three that did were the stand-out performers apparently.

Onwards and upwards. A good performance against Man U, even if we don't get anything from it, will help my mood no end.

 

[rippleman]

I doubt it. He set up exactly the same way he has for away games for the last ten months and got the standard 0-2 loss. Same team, same tactics, same style, same result.

Hmm.......because doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result usually works well.

Buying pacey players and then not playing them..........

My pre-season mojo was very high but it has rapidly slipped down following that lethargic, shambolic display.

 

[el punal]

Who would have thought that moral would need boosting after the first game of the season for gods sake.

Well is morale the moral of this story? I think you’re jumping the gun a bit here. It was more a case of ineptitude, clueless decision making and maybe, complacency. The players’ heads didn’t drop, the way they played there weren’t any heads left TO drop.

 

[Bwian]

Indeed. I thought the very worst that would happen is that we'd lose a close game. By the sound of it we got absolutely stuffed - by Watford. Not Many City - Watford. I wasn't there (and I can't bring myself to watch the MOTD) highlights, so I'm hoping that the "we were utter shit" posts are a little bit OTT.

As has already been said...not OTT at all. The only positives were AJ and Bissoumi coming on. That was it. I hope Barber gave the coaching staff a rocket up their backsides this morning! Ultimately, they are responsible for how the team is set up. Do they do set piece and shooting training at Lancing? Genuine question because it hasn't looked like it for a while now.

 

[Steve in Japan]

Having watched Liverpool THRASH West Ham yesterday, I confess I am feeling a bit nervous for our plucky wee Club in the Season ahead